Shadow of the Day
by seasidehearts
Summary: Even his smile was different. It was once so heartfelt and open that Kairi felt like just looking at him allowed her to see into his every thought and whole being. Now it was so…empty. [SxK]


**Hey guys. Wow is this fanfic personal; but I'll just leave it at that. This fanfic was inspired by the song "Shadow of the Day" by Linkin Park and also by personal memories as I just mentioned. I've been writing a lot of fluff lately and I needed to write something more tragic because life just isn't always happy. I really like this, and I hope you will too. Thanks for reading and I love you all. I'll especially love you if you review, please and thank you.**

XOXO

"_Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple; sometimes goodbyes the only way."_

XOXO

Kairi let out an inaudible sigh; despising the silence between them. '_You've changed…' _She thought bitterly as she glanced at the brunette from the corner of her eye. His face was emotionless; a blank stare out into the ocean. Not a sign of thinking, or recollecting memories; anything. It was just as if he were sleeping with his eyes open. "Sora?" She almost squeaked from the shock of his foreign behavior.

He snapped back into focus, facing her with a small smile, "Hmm?"

Even his smile was different. It was once so heartfelt and open that Kairi felt like just looking at him allowed her to see into his every thought and whole being. Now it was so…empty.

She swung her legs over the side of the dock and faced the ocean; she couldn't bear to attempt looking him in the eyes, "…What happened?"

"What?" His answer was abrupt; his tone confused and even held the slightest bit of anger.

"You just seem so different…Like a different person, even." She rocked back and forth absentmindedly from worrying that he was mad at her.

Sora gave a laugh that sounded very hallow, "People do grow up, Kairi."

"I've grown up too, Sora. Do I seem very different?" She turned to face him for this retort.

He bit his lip, "Not really…" Kairi almost smiled at the regret in his eyes. She was finally reaching through to him!

Locking her eyes onto his, she asked, "So, what's wrong? Something's got to be bothering you if it's causing you to act this different."

"Actually, nothing's bother me…" He trailed off in thought for a moment, "Which is a rare occasion, but I'll take it."

Furrowing her brow, she asked again, "Are you sure?"

He nodded then replied in a grateful yet somewhat annoyed tone, "I've just been through a lot, Kairi; I can't go back to the way it use to be."

"I guess…" She turned back to the ocean; her mind burning with the statement, '_But you promised me…_'

Both of the teens allowed a long and awkward silence to pass before Sora finally spoke, "I'm going home." He stood then proceeded to jump off the dock to his boat; without waiting for Kairi's reply.

"Well, bye." She said quietly, but enough that it was audible.

"Yeah, bye." He answered tonelessly as he readied his boat; leaving without another word.

Kairi laid back; closing her eyes and trying to ignore the splashes of Sora's ores against the water as she asked herself, '_Is this really the boy I fell in love with?_'

XOXO

It was a year ago, and Kairi was having her big sweet sixteen party; also a party for the return of Sora and Riku; at least in her mind. The two boys would not let her officially call it so.

"I didn't really know what to get…" Sora stated sheepishly as he scratched the back of his neck; looking in any direction except for into the eyes of Kairi.

"It's the thought that counts, Sora." She gave him a slight hug in attempt to make him feel better but only succeeded in making him blush more. Really, she did not care what it was; he and Riku were home and that's all that _really _mattered. Starting to unfold the wrapping paper, she quickly noted that it was a photo album. Pulling it out, she opened it to reveal pictures of all three of them as kids, doing all sorts of silly and stupid things. Bursting into laughter from all of the memories, she exclaimed, "Aw! Thank you, Sora; I love it!"

"That's good," He gave a relieved smile and began to inch towards the door, "Uh, I'm gonna go find Riku."

"Okay," Kairi answered; not really looking up but continuing to flip through the pictures. Ending with a picture of Sora holding her against her will; he grinning and Kairi smiling too; but she was beat red from embarrassment. "Right before the heartless…" The red head gave somewhat of a dreamy sigh. How she missed those days.

Closing the photo album, Kairi found a note that had fallen out that she had neglected to notice before. Blinking a bit, Kairi asked to herself, "What's this?" Unfolding the piece of paper, she immediately caught sight of Sora's scribble. '_Must be his card.' _She commented mentally as she began to read the letter.

'_Hey Kai! Happy Birthday! Though I'm sure I've already told you about twenty times; but I guess that's so I can make up for the fact that I missed your birthday last year. By the way, again; I'm sorry. I'll start by saying how much I missed you while I was gone. Even when this crazy journey first started, all I could think about was being able to see your smile again. I have to admit I even hallucinated a couple of times…it was almost like you were physically there with me. If you could ask Donald or Goofy they could definitely vouch for the fact that I would never shut up about you. I even thought of everything I'd say to you once I was home again in my all my spare time; but the moment you were right in front of me I completely forgot __**everything**__. And man, do I feel stupid now. I was going to try pulling off something you'd see in one of those corny love movies you're always watching. So since I screwed up then, now I'm hiding behind his pencil and paper; hoping you'll actually talk to me again after this. Either way, I just wanted to tell you. I love you, Kairi; always have, always will. I'm probably not in the same room anymore, being the chicken I am, but please tell me how you feel. Eventually, if not right now. Thanks._

_Love, _

_Sora._

_P.S: If you like Riku that's okay too. But I'll beat him to a pulp if he ever hurts you. Okay, I'm done._

Kairi finished with a laugh; her eyes leaking with tears of happiness.

"Kairi, are you okay?" Selphie called from behind the closed door with a worried tone.

Realizing that her friend must have heard her sniffling, Kairi quickly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and rushed to the door. "I'm fine," She answered with a laugh, then walked past her and continued in a loud tone so that Selphie would be able to hear her reply, "I've just got something that I need to do."

"_Okay_…" The brunette dragged out in a confused manner.

After making her way downstairs, Kairi was greeted with several exclamations of, "Hey Kairi!" and "Happy Birthday, Kai!"

"Thanks," She mumbled several times as she shoved through them as politely as she could. Finally spotting the head of spikes, her heart began to pound within her chest. Ignoring this fact, she called out as she approached him, "Hey, Sora!"

Turning around very slowly as if he were about to face his doom, Sora didn't even see Kairi until her lips were upon his own. He didn't even get the chance to kiss her back; his mouth agape as the whole room let out a chorus of "_Aw…_" and "Woo!" as she pulled away.

"I love you, too." She answered with a broad smile. Sora felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders as he gave a laugh of relief as he jumped up; gathering Kairi into his arms and kissing her for the first time.

"About time," Riku commented with a fake cough as he walked off; the lovers too enraptured in their own moment to notice.

XOXO

This time she choked on tears of sorrow; wondering what had happened to that carefree and happy boy she enjoyed being around so much.

Weeks, months, and endless moments passed by after that day without Sora speaking a single word to her. She would always see him when she walked around town; at first she would feel the fluttering of butterflies in her stomach but that quickly changed into a sharp pain as she remembered that he was not the same person that she loved. Not even _once _loved; she still loved the old Sora, that was one thing she could admit to herself.

Selphie caught her staring this time. With a tilt of her head, she commented, "Kairi…If it's hurting you this much, you really need to talk to him."

Whipping her head around and continuing on her way; Kairi felt the weight of the shopping bag return to her hand, answering, "Some things just aren't meant to be, Selphie. I just hope I'll be able to start living normally again."

What she really hoped for was that there was some way to go back in time.


End file.
